Escape Artists

The Lounge at the End of the Universe => Gallimaufry => Topic started by: wakela on July 29, 2010, 01:44:09 AM

Title: Changing a story
Post by: wakela on July 29, 2010, 01:44:09 AM
So, if you're a writer, and you get your story published on EP, PC or PP, and you read the listener comments, and you read some stuff that would make your story better, do you go back and change it? 
Title: Re: Changing a story
Post by: Boggled Coriander on July 29, 2010, 02:43:44 AM
I've wondered the same thing. 

Bear in mind that, with a few exceptions, most of the fiction published in EA podcasts has already been published elsewhere, so generally the author's already received a great deal of feedback.  But if it were me, I'd want to keep tinkering with the story to no end. 

Who was it who said, "A poem is never finished -- only abandoned"?
Title: Re: Changing a story
Post by: Scattercat on July 29, 2010, 02:53:20 AM
I would, personally.  Mind you, I've yet to have anything published anywhere (beyond a few drabbles at the Drabblecast), so I can't say for sure.  I'm always willing to adjust things, though, so long as it seems necessary to me.
Title: Re: Changing a story
Post by: Portrait in Flesh on July 29, 2010, 03:03:56 AM
Once a particular story has been published, I wouldn't go back to tweak it.

But I would apply what I've learned from criticisms for my next story.  Otherwise I could end up obsessing over a single story without trying my hand at something new.
Title: Re: Changing a story
Post by: Unblinking on July 29, 2010, 11:51:49 AM
Once it's been published, I try to avoid any major changes to it.  I might consider minor revisions like changing a scene order, or adding a couple lines of dialogue where they might add some clarity.  Anything that would change the synopsis of the story--no thanks.
Title: Re: Changing a story
Post by: DKT on July 29, 2010, 03:53:46 PM
Kind of what Unblinking and Portrait in the Flesh have said. If it's published, it's published, and I'll probably focus on whatever I'm working on next. The one circumstance I'd probably consider rewriting it is if someone was paying me to do it (for a reprint, which has actually happened to me).
Title: Re: Changing a story
Post by: Millenium_King on September 07, 2010, 05:21:57 AM
I only bother changing it if I'm going to submit it elsewhere and I feel the change would be beneficial.
Title: Re: Changing a story
Post by: Listener on September 07, 2010, 05:01:34 PM
Once I've sold a story, I don't rewrite it unless asked to by another market. That hasn't happened yet.